Arizona Summit Loses Accreditation

The ABA Council has withdrawn approval for Arizona Summit Law School, according to this letter posted on the ABA Section of Legal Education News page.  Arizona Summit had been placed on probation last March but was apparently unable to convince the ABA that it reliable plans in place to remedy its many deficiencies.  Arizona Summit had the worst bar pass rate in the country and has had among the lowest admissions standards in the country for several years.  The school was also having serious financial difficulties.  Arizona Summit has been directed to file a teach-out plan within 10 business days.  Although Arizona Summit has the right to appeal the decision to an appeals panel of the Council (and no doubt will challenge this decision as part of its ongoing litigation with the ABA), if the decision holds up, that will leave Florida Coastal as the last of the three InfiLaw schools in operation, following the closure of Charlotte Law School last year and the subsequent withdrawal of its ABA-approval in February 2018.  Florida Coastal is not currently on probation or under ABA sanctions, but has been found out of compliance with Standard 501(b) despite significantly raising its admission standards over the last two years.  All three InfiLaw law schools have filed separate suits against the ABA, claiming arbitrary and capricious enforcement of ABA Standards.  The ABA is currently seeking to consolidate the lawsuits into one multi-district litigation in Charlotte, NC. 

Comments

[anon]

So is this the end for Arizona Summit? Will the Dept of Ed pull student loans like was done for Charlotte? If not, would any 1L risk starting this fall? (It looks like accreditation can be kept during the appeal process).

[anon]

It seems to this observer that the ABA is attempting to bamboozle those who are following its debacle by focusing on InfiLaw: perhaps it is thought that beating this whipping boy will enable the ABA to scapegoat InfiLaw, march it into the desert, and then excuse the others.

Not.

[Deep State Special Legal Counsel]

What a revolting development this is. Is the bookstore holding a GOING OUT OF BUSINESS liquidation sale? I could use a new stress ball, t-shirt and key chain. Grab a couple of spiral notebooks too! Wait till they are marked down 70% off.

[rebelbetting]

I'm sure about the status quo. I'm sure in the nearest future, the accreditation will be approved

[rebelbetting]

I hope students loan is pulled

[Matthew Bruckner]

Title IV funds can only flow to "institutions of higher education" and that term is defined as an entity that is accredited. see 20 USC 1001(a)(5) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/1001)